How Much Does a Video Game Tester Make? Salary by State
Median annual salary (U.S.)
$104,300
Video game testers in the U.S. earn a median of $104,300 a year, or $50.14 an hour. Half of video game testers earn more than $104,300 and half earn less. The top 10% make more than $167,010.
Pay percentiles for video game testers
| Percentile | Hourly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $29.54 | $61,440 |
| 25th | $38.61 | $80,310 |
| 50th (median) | $50.14 | $104,300 |
| 75th | $64.03 | $133,180 |
| 90th | $80.29 | $167,010 |
U.S. wages, May 2025. BLS occupation: Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers (SOC 15-1253). Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
Highest-paying states for video game testers
| State | Median annual | Median hourly | vs. U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $128,740 | $61.89 | +23% |
| Washington | $128,480 | $61.77 | +23% |
| Colorado | $123,690 | $59.47 | +19% |
| Massachusetts | $122,210 | $58.76 | +17% |
| Virginia | $121,590 | $58.46 | +17% |
| New York | $121,240 | $58.29 | +16% |
| New Jersey | $119,470 | $57.44 | +15% |
| New Mexico | $116,580 | $56.05 | +12% |
| Maryland | $111,100 | $53.41 | +7% |
| Oregon | $108,440 | $52.13 | +4% |
| United States | $104,300 | $50.14 | — |
Top 10 states by median annual wage, May 2025. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
How many video game testers are there?
BLS counts about 186,740 video game testers employed in the U.S. (May 2025, excluding the self-employed). These figures cover the BLS occupation “Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers”. The most jobs are in California (27,710), Texas (19,590) and New York (10,460).
The mean (average) annual wage is $111,490, higher than the median of $104,300.
Hourly to annual pay calculator
Per year
- Monthly
- $8,692
- Biweekly
- $4,012
- Weekly
- $2,006
- Daily (8 hours)
- $401
- Hours per year
- 2,080
BLS annual figure; hourly × 2,080 may differ slightly.
Frequently asked questions
How much do video game testers make an hour?
The median hourly wage for video game testers is $50.14. The middle 50% earn between $38.61 and $64.03 an hour.
Which state pays video game testers the most?
California has the highest median wage for video game testers at $128,740, +23% vs. the U.S. median.
What is the starting salary for video game testers?
BLS does not report pay by experience, but the lowest-paid 10% of video game testers earn less than $61,440 a year, a common proxy for entry-level pay.